UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged both Iran and Israel to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation, following a sharp spike in hostilities between the two countries.
In a message posted on social media platform X on Saturday, Guterres expressed deep concern over the latest developments, including Israel's reported targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities and Tehran’s subsequent missile barrage on Tel Aviv.
“The time has come to stop everything,” the UN chief wrote. “There should be no more tension after Tehran’s missile attacks on Tel Aviv. Peace and diplomacy must prevail.”
His comments come amid growing international alarm after Iran launched a series of ballistic missiles in retaliation to what it described as a direct attack on its nuclear infrastructure by Israeli forces earlier this week. The strike marked one of the most direct confrontations between the two regional adversaries in recent years, raising fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
The UN secretary-general appealed to both sides to return to dialogue and avoid actions that could lead to “devastating consequences not only for the region but for global peace and security”.
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